Still waiting for mine from Amazon. One thing I noticed is my order has an extremely wide delivery estimate, even reaching into October I think from memory. I am surprised as I didn't pick the slowest delivery method.

Anatoly Zak has run the best English language website on the Russian space program since the late 1990s. RussianSpaceWeb.com is the place to go for the latest on what is happening in virtually all aspects of the Russian space effort, from commercial launches to human spaceflight to the latest military spacecraft and changes in the organization of the government space bureaucracy. Recently, Zak published a great book, Russia in Space, that is beautifully illustrated and contains a wealth of information on recent and proposed Russian space projects. (See “Review: Russia in Space”, The Space Review, September 30, 2013.) I decided to interview Zak about how he went about writing and illustrating the book.

DD: Tell me about Russia in Space. What is it about? What is the focus of the book?

AZ: It is a visual history of Russian plans in human space flight aiming to reach three major destinations: space stations in low Earth orbit, an expedition to Mars, and a permanent lunar base. The book focuses on the post-Soviet period, however it does describe and illustrate historic roots for these three major “roadmaps” in space flight as far back as the 1950s, as well as sets a political stage in which these projects were conceived and implemented (or not implemented).

DD: When did you decide you wanted to write a book about this subject?

AZ: I started working on it at the end of 2009, when I first had an opportunity to do such a complex and expensive project. However, the book incorporates my illustrative work from around 2004 and journalistic research dating back as far as 1993.

If any of you are in the Boston area, Anatoliy and a box of his books are here today (Thurs Dec 5).He's giving a talk at Harvard: the Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden St, Cambridge (Pratt Conf Room) at 12:30.All are welcome.

I had a fun evening showing off my space library to one of the few who can really appreciate it!